Most user equipments (UE) in wireless communications systems today, are equipped with multiple radio interfaces such that they are configured to operate over multiple radio access technologies (RATs), such as GSM, 3G and LTE. The existing UEs equipped with multiple radio interfaces are confined to use only one of the available RATs at a given point in time, even if several RATs are available and the UE runs several applications simultaneously. That is, true “multi-homing” using several RATs simultaneously is currently not supported by the commercially available cellular UEs. In fact, this limitation is not only due to UE limitations, but also because true multi-homing support would require new solutions in the multi-radio protocols as well. Therefore, it is expected that at least a subset of future UEs continues to operate in a “one RAT a time” mode.
Local ad-hoc networks, also referred to as wireless self-organizing networks, consist in their simplest forms of independent wireless nodes that dynamically form connections with each other to create a network. Self-organizing or ad-hoc networks have no central control and no dependence upon a fixed infrastructure. Today, ad-hoc networking is facilitated by, for example, BlueTooth, which is included as standard in many UEs, including phones, laptops, personal digital assistants (PDAs), computers and home electronics such as video cameras.
In the future, cellular RATs and notably LTE networks will support ad-hoc networking allowing devices equipped with a 3GPP LTE interface to form ad-hoc networks for local communication. Such scenarios can be in the wireless home or office or in public “hot spot” areas, e.g. air ports, libraries, health care centers, public administration buildings, etc.
When the resources of the cellular network also are used for local communication with ad-hoc peers, resource conflicts between the cellular network and the ad-hoc communication may occur.
A solution to this conflict may be to allocate some of the resources (e.g. certain frequency bands) for local ad-hoc communication and other resources for communication with the cellular network.
A disadvantage with such a solution is that the resources may not be utilized efficiently since the need for local ad-hoc communication may vary over time.